The butler took Saskia to the sleeping quarters, and she could only marvel at the pomp. One could have rather believed one would be in a castle or in a museum. Suddenly the servant stopped in front of a large double door and opened it.

Saskia didn't think she could see properly as she stepped into the room, she was spinning in circles and the term "room" was definitely the wrong one. The butler put down her suitcase and said to her that he would pick her up again in half an hour. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Saskia let her eyes wander.

She couldn't decide where to look first. Whether it was the gilded ceiling covered with plaster stucco or the open fireplace in front of which a large fur lay, she did not know. Her full attention was finally on the enormous four-poster bed that dominated the huge room.

Slowly she walked towards the bed and stroked the bedspread, which was woven with fine gold threads that formed a beautiful pattern. How could one live like this, she felt like a princess living in another time, so beautiful and antique everything seemed.

After a long daydream, she continued walking, stepped up to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out over the vast park. From a distance, she also saw the peacocks strutting that she had heard when she arrived. She still thought she was dreaming when she heard a light knock at the door.

Without thinking twice, she strode there, as it was certainly the butler. When she opened the door, he was already waiting in front of it.

He leisurely led her along various corridors without speaking much. Saskia became more and more nervous as she realized that she was about to meet Lionel.

Unexpectedly, the butler stopped and she almost ran into him. As he knocked, she heard Lionel's dark voice calling, "Come in!" Immediately her heart beat a few more beats faster and her hands became sweaty, so she wiped them inconspicuously on her pants.

The butler opened the door for Saskia.

Lionel had been sitting idly in his leather chair the entire time, impatiently waiting for Saskia to arrive in his office, when there was an abrupt knock on his door.

When his employee opened the door and Saskia entered, he immediately let his eyes glide over her. He looked at her longer than necessary and a vague feeling arose inside him when he saw her engaging smile.

Fortunately, when he noticed that he had already started staring again, Gem drew his attention. Loudly mewing, she jumped from the window sill and immediately stroked around Saskia's feet as if she had known her forever.

Pleased with the surprise that a cat was present, Saskia immediately crouched down and stroked her soft fur. Amused, she looked at the haircut of the longhaired cat. It really did fit in perfectly with her boss Lionel.

Astonished Lionel observed the whole scene that took place in front of him. Gem was anything but trusting of strangers, but what he saw here seemed like the complete opposite.

Saskia looked from her position, up at her boss. He was sitting wide-legged and relaxed, leaning back in his leather chair, looking at her and his cat.

"What's her name?" Saskia wanted to know from Lionel.

The latter had to concentrate on the question first and swallowed dryly, as he had been watching Saskia's hands tenderly stroking the fur the whole time. Immediately indecent things occurred to him and he immediately crossed his long legs. Lest any more undesirable vistas show in his tightly tailored designer pants. For Lionel, his arousal came as a complete surprise.

"Gem, her name is Gem like the jewel," he finally answered, swallowing again as his throat was suddenly dry. A little impetuously, he brushed his fingers through his hair and turned away. He had to pull himself together, his thoughts were unprofessional and yet there was nothing he could do about it.

He would have liked to feel her fingers on his bare chest... Fortunately for him, a repeated knock on the door jolted him out of his thoughts before they gained any momentum. "Yessss," he called out long-drawn-out and slightly annoyed.

The butler entered and brought various refreshments on a tray, placing them on a side table next to the window without another comment. He left immediately after that, having received no further order.

Saskia now also remembered what she was actually present for and stood up straight again. She still couldn't believe that she was in her boss's estate and that all the employees were just for him.

"Come sit down," Lionel said to her and pointed to the free chair, but without looking at her. He would rather avoid looking at her any more, there was enough work to do anyway!

After a short discussion in which Lionel explained to Saskia how he envisioned certain things, they worked relaxedly side by side. No more special incidents occurred.

Gem, too, had laid down in her basket in an exemplary manner and slept serenely in it, which made the lord wonder as well and shake his head. Sometimes he wondered what was always going on in his animals when they acted so out of character.

Harry Deane had continued to work on his deceitful plans over the past few days and had a successful telephone call with Major Wingate. The latter would forge a picture for him with which he intended to hoodwink Lord Shahbandar. Harry had booked a flight for himself and the forger to America. After all, they still had to find a person there who would play the decoy. Slowly, his plan was taking shape.

He had also already thought of something "nice" for Saskia. He would use tomorrow's team meeting to embarrass her in front of all his colleagues and especially in front of Shahbandar.

His face took on a disgusting grimace, drawn only with resentment and malice. He thought through again with satisfaction his small but hopefully effective plan that he wanted to implement tomorrow. Even if it was only for a moment, he hoped to avenge Evi's dismissal a little, even if she had nothing more to gain from it.